Notre Dame 4th graders ‘par Excellence’

Weekend competition qualifies VEX IQ robotics team for state championship.

This past weekend, a number of fourth-grade students attended a VEX IQ robotics tournament at the Nissan Technical Center North America, which is located in Farmington Hills. This event was a combined competition that included both middle- and elementary-school students with a total of 39 teams present. After the day-long competition, the Notre Dame team, dubbed “The Terminators,” were awarded the “Excellence Award,” representing the third time they have earned such an award at a tournament. 

According to Loreta Fregoli, who helps mentor the school’s VEX IQ robotics activities, in order to receive the Excellence Award, per the VEX IQ program, the team must exemplify overall excellence in creating a high-quality VEX robotics program. This team also must be a strong contender in numerous award categories. In addition, Excellence winners must have an engineering notebook and a STEM research project presentation.

Key criteria include:

– Design Award ranking

– STEM Research Project Award ranking

– Teamwork Challenge Qualification Matches ranking

– Robot Skills Challenge ranking

– Other Judged award rankings

– High-quality VEX robotics program 

The Excellence Award won last weekend now qualifies the Terminators for the state championship, which will be held in Charlotte, Mich., on February 25. 

“This is the second year participating in the VEX IQ program at NDPMA,” said Fregoli. “Each of these boys brings a unique and special touch to the team. Their passion and drive to perform well is commendable. The Terminators are currently holding a second-place spot in the state of Michigan.”

For their STEM project, The Terminators have taken on how robotics is used in the healthcare industry today. They began their research on the internet and visited a simulation lab at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital where they practiced on robotic mannequins. 

Dr. Fabian Fregoli, who is a Notre Dame alum ('89), took turns showing the boys how to intubate, perform laparoscopy, maneuver the daVinci robot and draw blood. (Not real blood!) They also were introduced to the stroke robot, which is robot that allows local physicians to communicate with physician in rural areas. This robot is no longer only used for stroke patients, but for other diagnosis as well. 

Finally the team’s research took them to McLaren Bay Region Hospital in Bay City where they met Dr. Guy Boike, a daVinci robotics specialist who orchestrated a visit into the operating room where the kids were able to actually perform a mock procedure. 

Loreta Fregoli was entirely impressed with the students during the weekend, and summed it all up by saying that VEX IQ is a great program that allows students to grow in so many facets. 

“Not only are they learning the basics of robotics by building them, they also are learning about programming,” she said. “I commend Notre Dame and Lower Division Principal Mrs. (Diana) Atkins for having the vision to bring VEX IQ into the building. I also cannot give enough credit to Jerry and Louise Palardy, who give countless hours to the overall program.”  

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.

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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy

Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.



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